The excitment of Piglet and Pooh…

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After a late summer/early autumn gestation period, my revamped website was about to go live.  I was very excited!  In fact I popped a post on my Facebook page (Birch Moon) to give people a ‘heads up’ that something…was about to happen.

And then it didn’t!  Technical issues, possibly a bug, maybe a glitch, weird things happening with my passwords.  Another of life’s little challenges that are sent to try us, test our patience, resilience, and sense of humour.  Luckily I had Pooh and Piglet on hand to redirect my energy into creative scripts – like this one…

Piglet – “Pooh – weren’t you VERY excited the other day?”
Pooh – “Yes Piglet I was”
Piglet – “Did it not happen Pooh?”
Pooh – “No Piglet, there was a glitch. A techni-watsit glitch”
Piglet – “Oh Poo Pooh! – What now?”
Pooh – “Well now Piglet – it’s all FINE AND DANDY!”
Piglet – “Really Pooh? Really? You mean…
Pooh – “Yes Piglet, my new, revamped website is up and running. All sparkly clean, and fresh and just waiting for people to see it.
Piglet www.birchmoon.co.uk  

Having a website these days is vital; they are our shop window, a 24/7 advertisement for our business, and can be a form of education too (depending on your business).  I certainly intend mine to be the latter and, after much encouragement, reminders and even loving nags, a regular Blog WILL appear – here!

In Positive Psychology one of the key areas it is proving successful in is building resilience, our “bounce-back-ability”.  Whilst website glitches are small in comparison to many other life’s adventures that get thrown our way, still the ‘frustration tolerance’ can vary from person to person.

Here’s 3 simple steps to keep calm, lower your frustration levels, and boost resilience:-

  1. Breathe!  Yes, I know, you do this anyway.  One hand on your belly, invite your breath down into your abdomen, watching how the belly rises and falls with each inhalation and exhalation.  Very simple.  You probably know it already, but a gentle reminder of how powerful your breath is.  Slow it down, breathe in for a steady count of 4, pause, exhale for a steady count of 4.  Repeat.
  2. Get physical!  Frustration is biologically adrenaline.  Walk briskly, march on the spot, run up and down stairs – get rid of the adrenaline. (Now breathe)
  3. Whatever is causing you to feel frustrated, write down what your options are – create a list of 5 things that you can do (include crazy ideas, it keeps the creativity flowing), then choose 1 or 2 things and take action.  Can’t take action, come back to your breath…if you REALLY can’t do anything you can still take care of yourself, breathe well, walk, talk to a good friend…
  4. I know I said 3…but here’s a bonus!  Music shifts us swiftly from agitated to calm, from fear to trust, from frustration to going with the flow…choose what you like and sit and listen rather than have it playing in the background.

Resilience is about building your ability to bounce back from adversity – whether large or small.  It’s about knowing you have choices and can take action where possible, even if that action is to stay anchored, with your breath, in this present moment. 

Pooh – “So Piglet, there you have it – frustration to calm!”

Piglet – “Oh Pooh, you are such a wise old…erm..Pooh”

Pooh – “We helped her didn’t we Piglet?”

Piglet – “Yes Pooh, that’s what friends do!”